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Papers on A.pic\ilt\ire 

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INCREASE 



SECOND EDITION 

COPYRIGHT 1904 



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This Little 15(»t)k Was Made by Hand 
in the Swarthmore Shops 



First in a Series of 

Papers 5^ Apiculture 

by SWARTHMORE 



'Ip 



APR 12 i^U^ i 



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Publiqhed by the 

SWAETHMORE APIARIES 

Swarthraore, Pa., U. S. A. 

19 5 



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PLATE NO. 1. 
Shaking Bees Into the Prepared Hive. 



<« 



Increase" 



O U are doubtless anxious to increase 
your colonies to make up for winter losses. 
Many of the plans of dividing, taught by the 
text books, are ruinous to good working 
stocks — prospects of honey, even for winter- 
ing, say nothing of surplus, are crippled 
frightfully; both halves of the division are 
disheartened, set back or weakened, and it 
is weeks and weeks before either can re- 
cover from the shock of deprivation — by this 
time the honey flow is past, all is lost, and 
you simply have two half-starved colonies 
to feed and nurse up for winter. The loss 



increase: 

in egg-laying by the old methods of divi- 
sion is serious, and the death of open brood 
deplorable. Don't ruin good working stocks 
by practicing old, obsolescent methods of 
dividing; they have had their day. The 
"Swarthmore" method of increase is so sim- 
ple that the novice can practice it with full 
success. Labor is reduced to one sure and 
simple operation. Full stocks are not bled 
to death, nor does it "rob Peter to pay Paul." 

This method is so close to the natural way 
that the increase at once goes to work with 
the vigor of a prime swarm and will not only 
build up rapidly to a full stock but will give 
a surplus. By the purchase of queens to 
head them, new colonies may be established 
surely and safely from powerful stocks every 
ten or fifteen days. 

A\ hen bees increase naturally they takj 
with them a queen, young bees and honey, 



Don't try to increase with half- starv- 
ed bees-feed. 



INCREASE 

nothing more. Take advantage of this con- 
dition and form your new colonies accord- 
ingly. 

Scoop the loafers from the fronts of your 
hives and set them to work. 

PREPARING THE HIVE. 

Make a bottom-board fast to an empty 
eight-frame body and adjust a screen to the 
entrance, that will be convenient to remove 
and replace later on, and select a cover that 
will fit bee-tight and not bother when the 
time comes to use it. 

Place in this prepared hive five nice clean 
combs making sure that some of them con- 
tain a littlfe honey, to guard against starving 
your swarm should it rain for several days 
<lirectly after hiving*, but no brood. 

If you have no drawn comb and still de- 
sire to increase your colonies, full sheets of 
foundation can be used the same as though 



Don't iRcrease faster than yoy can 
car® for wall. 



INCREASE 

they were combs. Place in the hive one 
comb of honey, then four full frames of well 
wired foundation, then the follower — then 
shake in the bees. 

In connection with the use of foundation 
it might be well to say here that bees shaken 
in this manner will almost invariably build 
worker comb, if given a laying queen, and 
if starters only are furnished in the frames 
one is almost certain of securing some hand- 
some all-worker combs at no cost. 

If starters of foundation are to be given, 
the number of frames should be reduced. 
Give two when the bees are shaken and 
then add one at a time, on the outside, until 
the hive is filled with combs. 

To build up colonies in this manner one 
must have a good field, and a constant honey 
flow; feeding will answer in lien of a honey 
flow. 



By a careful exercise of wit swarm- 
ing can be prevented entirely. 



1 N C R E A S E 

VRR AXGEMENT OF THE NEW HIVE. 
Push the five combs to one side, msert a 
hanging- division-board and make all fast 
with two nails in such a manner that the 
hive can be carried without fear of the 
frames shifting out of place. 

Cover the whole surface of the hive with 
a sheet of enamel cloth and' tack it in place 
With four tacks — two at the corners and 
two directly over the division-board in 
such a manner that the portion of the sheet 
coming over the space in the hive not filled 
with combs can be turned over for purpose 
of shaking in the bees. 

If your covers are of the flat types the 
sheet may be omitted, and by simply sliding 
the roof to one side, as shown in tiie photo- 
graph, (plate No. t) the bees may be shaken 
forthwith into the opening. 



Give a colony a good queen and It 
wHI work out its own salvation. All 
other thought-to-be-!mpoH:ant-point« 

are in reality subordssiate. 



increase: 

SHAKING THE SWARM. 

On a fine morning take your prepared 
hive to a booming stock, slide the cover over 
or turn back the flap. Set the hive in a posi- 
tion to receive shaken bees without loss of 
time. 

Now smoke and open the full stock and 
shake into the prepared hive all the bees 
from off four or five combs of brood, being 
careful not to get the queen. 

To shake the bees neatly and well, lower 
the comb to half its depth into the opening, 
and with several quick downward jerks all 
adhering bees are suddenly dislodged. 

If you have prepared your hive as it 
should be the shaken bees will immediate- 
ly run under the division-board and up ontoi 
the combs under the sheet or cover out of 
the way, leaving all free to turn back the 
flap or slide on the cover. 



Make your bees pay their way — and 
a litt!e more if you can. 



INCREASE 

After closing the prepared hive return all 
the brood combs to the full stock and close 
that hive. 

Then remove the prepared hive, now 
stocked with queenless bees, to a cool dark 
place, and there let it remain in hopeless 
qucenlessness until towards evening — then 
and not until then run in a laying queen. 
INTRODUCING THE QUEEN. 

To introduce the queen slide the cover 
over a bit on the comb side and turn back 
a corner of the sheet to admit her without 
allowing a bee to escape. If you do not ob- 
ject to cutting your hives a small hole bored 
in the front, to be plugged with a cork, will 
be found convenient for a flight-hole as well 
as for introducing queens. 

When the queen has run in, nail the cover 
down and that night or the next morning 
earlv remove the prepared hive to a loca- 



1 have seen bees m cheese boxes 
quite as prosperous as those in the 
most elaborate chaff hive. 



I N C R E A S E 

tion at least a mile away and there let it re- 
main for two or three days, or even longer 
will do no harm. 

When you bring the bees home, which 
should be done before they get too heavy, 
fill the hive with empty combs and in sixty 
days you wnll have a stock which will itself 
stand a ''shake" or section boxes may be put 
on. 

In ten or fifteen days the full stocks will 
stand another shake and so on until you 
have multiplied to your full number of 
colonies. 

It is better to introduce laying queens to 
colonies formed in this manner, but virgins 
of any age may be used, and if the season is 
not too far advanced these young queens 
will mate and build up strong colonies in 
time for winter. 

For this purpose natural swarm cells can 



A smoker in the hands of a thought- 
less man does much more harm than 
good. Spare the bellows. 




i^ 



Photograph toy Mr. John M. Hooker, 



PLATE NO. 2. 
Portable Swarm Box Arranged for "In- 



1 N C R EASE 

be saved and hatched in Swarthmore nur- 
sery cages as explained in "Cell Getting." 

A SIMPLE CELL GETTING PLAN. 

Shaken bees will build a number of cells 
which may be cut in the old way, and 
hatched for use in future forc^'d swarms. 
Place a partially built down comb, or a 
wide starter of foundation, into the hive 
containing your best queen mother three or 
four days previous to forming the first new 
colony and eggs in plenty, the exact age for 
queen cells, will be secured— now, when you 
shake your first swarm put this comb into 
the swarm-box oi* prepared hive. Ten days 
later cut and cage ail but one cell. To 
mate these queens when hatched see *'F>aby 
Nuclei." 

By inserting a comb of young brood, at 
time of shaking, the forced swarm will rear 
a queen, in time, for itself ; but unless this 



Don't discourage Increase, but pre 
vent swarming If you know how. 



1 N e R E A S E 

is done qiiite early in tlie season one's in- 
crease will be very slow in bnildnig" to 
stronf^- colonies. 

THE BUSY MAN'S WAY. 

If yon are a busy man and have only 
mornings and evenings at home this plan of 
increase is jnst what yon need — it holds 
s^varming in check and rednccs manipula- 
tion. Queens, either virgin or^ fertile, are 
safely introduced directly and there is no 
fuss in looking- after colonies too weak to 
defend themselves. 

For such a man I have designed a plan 
that :can be followed with perfect satisfac- 
tion as regards labor, trouble and expense. 
it is as follows: 

PORTABLE SWARM-BOX. 

Build a neat, light hive body to hold just 
five frames ; cover the bottom of your box 
with wire netting nailed on firmly with cleats 



Th® ioss of a queen to a big colony 
is a loss indeed — too great to continue 

loRg. 



INCREASE 

rth around. Now provide a lid of thin stuff 
that will just fit the top of the swarm-box; 
cleat it well and provide means for fastening 
this cover. Bore an inch hole at one end of 
the box, low down, for an entrance and pro- 
vide a cork or a button of section stuff for 
purpose of speed in opening and closing the 
entrance. 

This box may then be used on the same 
plan as outlined above and you will have 
something that can be conveniently carried 
on street or steam cars — just like a suit case. 
. Shake your bees in the morning and at 
evening run in the queen. After dark throw 
a strap or cord around the box, board a car 
with it and set it out one mile away. Draw 
the cork from the flight hole and catch the 
next car home. 

When you take out another boxful bring 
home the one formed a few^ davs before and 



Swarming is not increase — nor is it 
decrease, exactly. 



I N G R E A S. £ 

SO on. In this manner two boxes will keep 
yon goin,^- with all the increase you can take 
care of. 

To hasten the work of preparation for 
moving we liaA'e what w^e call i\n ndjustable 
handle; which is simply, two wires slid 
through a handle and bent in such a man- 
ner that the four ends will hook into four 
staples driven into the sides of the swarm- 
box, as shown in plate No. 2. One of these 
handles will answer for several boxes and 
the shawl strap may then be dispensed with. 
CARE OF BEES FROM OUT-YARD. 

When the boxes of bees are brouhgt home 
let them fly from the box a few days, then 
lift them into standard hives and fill with 
empty combs or those containing some 
hone}^, or foundation in starters and full 
sheets may be used, and in a remarkably 
short time all the combs will be covered 



A clipped qyeen is quite as good as a 
dead one, "[f you don't watch out." 



increase: 

witli bees and well filled with brood and 
honey. 

If no honey is coming in, feeding will ac- 
complish the same end and increase can be 
carried on to the same extent. Have the 
feed flavored with a little honey if possible 
and provide it regularly in the feeder that 
suits you best. I have used an entrance 
feeder with satisfaction because it is applied 
from the outside, can be filled quickly and 
is convenient for the one who is feeding for 
increase. 

1liis feeder is simph' a shallow tin or 
paper pan which can be slid into the entrance 
to any hive flat upon the bottom-board. A 
portion of the pan protrudes from the en- 
trance (not over one inch), allowing one to 
simply pour in the feed from a tea pot, 
(juickly. 



Unlike other stock, bees consume 
nothing — yet add much. 



I N CREASE 

If you have a sure autumn honey flow 
colonies may be started quite late in the 
season, and by inserting a frame or two of 
hatching brood, taken from some of the 
powerful colonies, at time of bringing home, 
these late formed colonies will build to 
moderate strength and will gather enougli 
from the golden rod, yellow flower and aster 
to winter over. The earlier ones are more 
successful, however, in that they will likely 
store a surplus. 

Never give brood to a newly formed 
colony until after the queen is safely intro- 
duced lest the confined bees ball the queen 
directly she is run into the box. 



He who depends upon natural 
swarming entirely for his increase will 
ever live in hopes. 



"Baby Nuclei** 





~~|N this book Suarthmorc 
Jjl ! thorou^^^hly covers the 

=r=rz:ri ficld Of Slliall Ilia t; HOT 

J9 i nuclei management; he 
I has had 20 years' ex- 
perience in mating^ yoiincr 
queens from section cornbs, 
with buta a hndful of bees, and 
feels competent to write on the 
subject. . . • • 

Handsomely Diinted, charmingly illu- 
minated, artistically bound and profuse- 
ly illustrated with actual photographs 
talcen U a booming queen-rearing estab- 
lishment at the height of the season. 
50 cents postpaid. 

THE SWARTHMORE APIARIES. 
Swarthmore, Pa., U. S. A. 



LIST of BOORS 

TO FOLLOW 

Cell Getting by the Swarth- 
more Pressed Cup Plan 

The plan that has revolutionized queen 
rearino- throuohout the world. The en- 
tire process fully explained and illustra- 
ted by photos., from ac.ual life and viv- 
idly showing" ail the labor-saving' points 
in the best system ever invented. 

IioT«r to MaKe Hives of Paper 

At cost of only a few cents each. Full 
specifica ions, complete bill of stock and 
detailed drawings which will enable any 
beekeeper to construct his own hives, 
supers, etc., with a pair of shears, back 
SAW and hammer. Used by Swarthmore. 

A. New Comb-Honey Device 

Which entirely does away with close fit- 
ting holders and separators, allowing a 
producer to secure more marketable 
comb honey with no more danger of 
swarming than when run for extracting. 



Breeders of the Brightest Golden Bees — Prize Stock 
Queens Posted Safely at Ji or 5s each. 



SWARTHMORE 

QUEEN REARING 

OUTFITS. 

Price List of Complete Outfits for 

Rearing and mating Numerous Queens. 

Perfect Nursery Gages with removable 
compressed queen cells. Directions go with 
each Outfit which will enable the small bee 
keeper to rear a few queens for his own 
use Simple devices easily underst)od by 
any beekeeper; ist prize, Royal Show, London. 

Leading queen specialists have adopted 
the Swarthmore plan because of its simplic- 
ity and saving — testimonials for the asking. 



1.25 



OUTFIT NO. J: — ^Experimental. 

3 Transfer Cages 

12 Wooden Cups, waxed, ready for larvae... 

I Cell-Bar, bored, for shells « 

1 Holding-Frame, with full directions Post Paid 

We will add a Swarthmore Nursery for 25c more. 
^ \ OUTFIT NO. 2:-Amateur. ^ ,^^ 

^ 2 Cell-Bals, bored, 16 hoifs ^^ ^tf 

35 Waxed wooden cups ,...l %^ m^^^^ 

• 1 Holding Frame...,. 77. TTT.t:;:. 

18 Transfer Cages, or hatchery Post Paid 

Cell-cleaning sticlj, grafting tool and directions. 
We will add a Swarthmore Nursery for 25c more. 
1 sample Baby Mating Box, with directions, by post, 50c. 
1 sample Transfer Cage with waxed wooden cup, 10c. 

OUTFIT NO. 3:— Professional. 
Includes, 1 Grace Cell Compressor, 100 blank Shells, 1 set 
Cell Bars and Starting-Frame, 2 Swarthmore Nursery Cages 
and Holding FrameJO Improved and complete b iby Mating 
Boxes, 18 Transfer Cages, Etc By express or freight, |6.50 

Compressed Cells can b-^ used over and over; the ofteuer 
they are used thn better they work — we compress cups in 
removable Wooden Cups at 2c each; or you can own a 
Grace Cell Compressor for |2, pose paid ; with goods, flat, 
11.75. Blank Shells, Ic each. Glass Bottle Feeders, 5c each. 
Mating Boxes in lots of 6, flat, $1. Bulb Filler or Feeder |1. 



THE SA\^ARXIinyEOR.E afi^hijes. 



APR 12 1905 



We wish to call particular attention 
to the S.varihmore wooden cup ard its 
many advantages for rapid handling of 
queen cells. We make these cups in 
many sizes, to order, and drill holes to 
suit special purposes, but for the ordi- 
nary ruii of queen work wc recommend 
the standard th ee-fourth sholl wi h o e- 
half inch hole, for holding the wax to be 
compressed into queen cuj-s, with f ange 
to present the c\x,) f r un siippin clear 
through when cells are i seited in 
eitl.e • cell-bars or cages. Some use a 
tick to attach the cells to the under 
sid? of a {) ain bar— ^ye will add these 
tacks to the s andard flange shell and 
will drill holes tt) receive sepaiate wax 
cups, if desired without extra charge; 
th n th^ same shell can bo us* d either 
way. But we believe tl e most of \('\i 
will prefer the convenience of drawirg 
your cells from top for th'' reason that 
iuanip 'lation is reduced fully fifty p< r 
cent., for all the work of cell sh'ftirg 
can be done thn^ugh a slit in the sheet, 
\vith;)ut remoAing combs, one cell at a 
tiiue or by th^ barfil. IMuch disturb- 
ance to cbloaies ruins tlieii- chances on 
honey and in wi itering well. This stan- 
dard sht 11 in Combination with a com- 
pressed cup makes an everlasting quef n 
coll; one that cm be graft h1 over aid 
t>ver a;aiu with increasing success— it's 
wastef il to destroj^ a good cup cac.i tin e 
a queen 1 a'ches. 

To transfer larvae— Select none but 
just-hatched efjgs and with a camcl's- 
hair brush, quill, or pointed tool, lift, 
the "little worm" tenderly and d<^- 
l*osit it i;>i^the bottom of the cup in 
the same position it occupied in the 
comb. 

The Swart 'inn re transfer cage i.^ v sep- 
arate nursery cage u^ed for intrc* uc- 
Ing queen> on the candy plan. This 
cage has been sold by us for several 
years and we have found it useful for 
hatchl ig, introducing or pre-irtroduc- 
ing, and for confining either ferlile or 
unfertile queens, also for mailii g qt:( < i s 
away. Twelve of these handy nui>cry 
cages will fit in the Swarthmorp op( ii 
fi'ame; thirty-six will hang loose ly on 
bars in a Hoffman brood -frame; or -S 
will fit tightly in any standard brood - 
frame; making a perfect all-purpose 
cage and the most successful separate 
nursery ever put on the market— Send 
for sample and convince yourself of 
these claims. 

The Swarthmore Nursery is, with ut 
doubt, the most extensively sold queen 
rearing device ever put on the market. 
By its use much labor is sav( d in rar- 
ing for queen cells at the incubating 
period. It can be permanently located 
in any colony ready to receive cells at 
any tima without the least disturbance 
to honey stocks, being on a level with 
the tops of the frames cells ! may i e 
manipulated at will, singly or by the 
barful, by simpljs raising the quilt.s; fur- 



thermore no dequeening of stocks i^ 
necessary when this cage piinciple is 
used. As a combined hatchery it has 
no eiiiial and breeders d«»ing business on 
a large scale can hardly get along with- 
out it. 

The CJrace Cell Ct mpres'si; g Machine 
needs no introduct'on— it has been used 
for several years with most astonishing 
success and h.ns eiowded all cell dip- 
pins off the earth We can supi)ly hand 
tot Is for foi'niirg eells but we believe 
vuu will at last resort to the mgchire 
because of its saving in time and labcr. 
Many have earned the priee of a ma 
chine ten times over by viressing cell? 
fer others. 

Any queen rearer who uses more than 
a hundred or two bees for mating vir- 
gin queens is not using the most eco- 
nomical pli n. We are working large 
numbers and s ill recommend Sv.arih- 
m< re Fertilizing Boxes. If you care {o 
investigate the wonelrous savinc^ quali 
ties of this niptiig nucleus we will glrd- 
ly suj ply what inft rmation we have 
gained in several years practical work 
with them in mating thousands (,1 
queens for market. 

SWARTHMORE APIARIES, 

Swarthmore, Pa., U. S. A. 

THE BEST THERE IS 

LEWIS GOODS AT FACTORY PRICES 

It has been our constant aim for 
eight years to give best goods, best 
prices, best service and best of 
everything connected with supply- 
ing Bee-keepers' wants. 

We aie excelled by nobody. S| ecial 
discounts jjiveii on all orders before Apiil 
1. Catnlof; Free. 

C. M. SCOTT & CO. 

1001 E WHsh. St . INDIANAPOIIS, IN1>. 

I READ The American Bee 
Keeper from cover to cover; 
it has brought results as an 
advertising medium and much 
pleasure and profit in the reading. 

"Swarthmore" 
H« E. HILL, Editof» Fort Piefce, Fla. 

Rural Bee Reeper 

All Beedom is interested in this 
bright, independent, new bee jour- 
nal — Instructive and up-to-date. 

We S(>li<dt your pntronaj^H ns adverti^- 
ers and subscribers; for sample, address, 

W. H. PUTNAM, River Falls, Wis. 



LBAg'05 





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